K. Shanmugam
Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam SC (Tamil: காசிவிஸ்வநாதன் சண்முகம், romanized: Kācivisvanātaṉ Caṇmukam; born 26 March 1959), better known as K. Shanmugam, is a Singaporean politician and lawyer who has been serving as Minister for Law since 2008 and Minister for Home Affairs since 2015. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Chong Pang division of Nee Soon GRC since 2011.
The Honourable K. Shanmugam SC | |
|---|---|
| காசிவிஸ்வநாதன் சண்முகம் | |
Shanmugam in 2013 | |
| Minister for Home Affairs | |
| Assumed office 1 October 2015 | |
| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
| Second Minister | Desmond Lee Josephine Teo |
| Preceded by | Teo Chee Hean |
| In office 1 November 2010 – 20 May 2011 | |
| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
| Preceded by | Wong Kan Seng |
| Succeeded by | Teo Chee Hean |
| Minister for Law | |
| Assumed office 1 May 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
| Second Minister | Indranee Rajah Edwin Tong |
| Preceded by | S. Jayakumar |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015 | |
| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
| Second Minister | Grace Fu Masagos Zulkifli |
| Preceded by | George Yeo |
| Succeeded by | Vivian Balakrishnan |
| Second Minister for Home Affairs | |
| In office 1 May 2008 – 31 October 2010 | |
| Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
| Minister | Wong Kan Seng |
| Succeeded by | S. Iswaran Masagos Zulkifli |
| Member of Parliament for Nee Soon GRC (Chong Pang) | |
| Assumed office 7 May 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Majority | 33,149 (23.80%) |
| Member of Parliament for Sembawang GRC (Chong Pang) | |
| In office 3 September 1988 – 18 April 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam 26 March 1959 Colony of Singapore |
| Political party | People's Action Party |
| Spouse |
Seetha Shanmugam (m. 2008) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | National University of Singapore (LLB) |
A lawyer by profession, Shanmugam made a name for himself in litigation, arbitration and insolvency cases before he entered politics. In 1998, at the age of 38, he was one of the youngest lawyers in Singapore to be appointed Senior Counsel. Along with Davinder Singh, he was known as one of the "twin titans of litigation" and a prominent figure in Singapore's legal circles. Shanmugam has also received praise for being one of the top cross-examiners in Singapore and has acted for and against all three prime ministers in civil lawsuits.